I’ll drink to THAT! Kotb goes KRAZY as Kathie Lee blows off her book!

DAYS OF WHINE AND…? Hey, MATT LAUER, here’s something you could blame for your crummy “Today” ratings – a new and nasty feud between KATHIE LEE GIFFORD and on-air wine-sipping buddy HODA KOTB, who suddenly popped her cork after co-host/diva Kathie Lee skipped town for a week to tape LA segments just as Hoda’s new book debuted… rather than stick around and help publicize it!

“Hoda feels Kathie Lee stabbed her in the back,” said a close backstage pal.

“She was counting on Kathie Lee to help promote her book, ‘Ten Years Later: Six People Who Faced Adversity and Transformed Their Lives.’ Now she’s bubbling over with anger, whining that Kathie Lee skipped out on her for something that wasn’t crucial. She’d expected her co-host to help plug the book – the way Hoda had endlessly plugged Kathie Lee’s Broadway musical ‘Scandalous.’ Hoda not only mentioned the play on the show, she even went to luncheons and meet ’n’ greet sessions with its fans.